New Jersey’s legal sportsbooks are, for the first time, taking bets on e-sports and competitive video game tournaments.
FanDuel was the first NJ online sportsbook to offer e-sports wagers, but it was Borgata Casino that actually took the first E-bet.
This was on Thursday shortly after the State’s Division of Gaming Enforcement had given e-betting their green light.
The bet was made on this week’s League of Legends Championship in Paris. It was for $100 on Team G2, and it was placed by FOX 29 sports anchor Howard Eskin.
E-sports is one of the Globe’s fastest-growing, new-world activities, notably among the younger generations. Clearly the Garden State’s equally fast-growing betting industry is looking to the future in choosing to become part of it.
Speaking for its operators, Borgato president Marcus Glover said: “Borgata is proud to be at the forefront of this significant milestone. We look to engage with future generations of e-sports fans as well as traditional sports fans.”
Place your e-sports bets here!
New Jersey quickest out of it blocks
When betting prohibition was ended in May 2018, New Jersey was quickest out of its blocks and has never looked back. It is currently seen as the leader of the country-wide sports-betting evolution taking place.
Nevada, where sports-betting was never illegal, remains the betting hub of the US, but it is taking strain. New Jersey’s intake of bets in three of the past five months has exceeded Nevada’s.
E-sports, which originated in the US, is now well established in the country and is growing strongly. William Hill took the first wager on e-sport in Nevada and the Downtown Grand in Las Vegas opened an e-sport betting lounge in 2016.
FOX 29.com has reported that market research conducted by Newzoo has put e-sports at a $1.1 billion worldwide this year, some 27% up on last year. Newzoo expects e-sports to generate $1.8 billion next year.
This pales in comparison with the $3 billion in sports betting handle generated mostly by football, basketball, and baseball in New Jersey last year.
But it is the great potential growth of e-sport that has clearly influenced the generally conservative New Jersey DGE. Until now it’s allowed betting to take place on the Academy Awards, but little else outside conventional sports.
Global audience of 453 million this year
FOX 29.com reports that Newzoo expects the global e-sports audience to include more than 453 million people this year. David Schwartz, of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, rates the e-sports market as ‘still small’ – at least for the time being.
He said: “There is definitely fan interest, but right now betting on sports outside of the big three (football, basketball, baseball) is pretty small in the US. “And, as with any new sport, there may be concerns over match-fixing and other compliance issues. This may further slow the growth of the market for e-sports betting,” he said.
“In the future, of course, it should become a much bigger segment if bettors decide they want to gamble on it.”
New Jersey’s gaming authorities thoroughly investigated e-betting prior to giving it the thumbs up. They are reported to have been satisfied with their integrity.
Meanwhile, the Isle of Man-based Continent 8 has built a $5 million data center at the Atlantic City Convention Center. It will serve both the data-intensive e-sports industry and the traditional sports betting market.
On the e-sports professional front, a number of Atlantic City Casinos have run
Tournaments during the past couple of years.
And Stockton University is reported to have signing up for the Eastern College Athletic Conference’s intercollegiate e-sports championship.
